Awakening
by Bijou Lee
Summary: After six years of slumber, Saya awakens. Although everyone, including Saya herself, is ecstatic of her return, something about her untimely emergence is itself a puzzling mystery that awaits to be discovered.
1. Awakening

Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+. I'm just a harmless fan who's obsessed with the show.

Hey, everybody! Thanks in advance for reading my fic. I appreciate it even more if you would be so kind as to drop a line or two of comments or suggestions about this story. This is obviously my first fic about one of the best animes I've laid my eyes on, so I really do hope that you enjoy reading this chapter just as much as my writing it.

Enjoy!

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_It's warm. My body curls into a ball like a cat seeking warmth from its own body. My mind feels blank, but I have a feeling of something lost. I try to cry but I can't feel them running down my cheeks. They blend well with the aquatic cocoon around me. I try to open my eyes but I'm not yet ready to face something. I don't know what it is, really. I can't think, but I can only feel. I feel… lonely. I'm longing for something; I just don't know what it is. _

_Within me, it is also warm. Is this how a baby feels inside a womb? While you're sleeping inside your mother's body, sometimes you sleep soundly and sometimes you struggle to get out. I also feel the same way. Only problem is, I don't know what I'm after exactly. It's hot inside me; the burn for something is writhing in me. The sensation of knowing what I want is at the tip of my tongue, but it's only at the tip. It hasn't rolled down the clearing where you see the clouds lift, where everything is no longer a blur. I'm confused. What is it am I looking for?_

_I remember a feeling of joy, of fulfillment, of love. Love. I remember vaguely hands caressing me. His strong hands always protecting, always getting me out of harm's way. They are not exactly flawless; they remind me of what I am. Those hands that hug me: they bring me closer to his face, his voice. He calls my name, those lips lovingly reaching out to me. I try to say his name, but I forget. In my mind, I see his deep-set, dark eyes searching for me. I try to reach out but my hand is stuck beneath my breast. I can't get it to move. _

_Nankuranaisa. He said those words too. He hardly says anything to me but fight, fight, fight. What am I fighting for? I dunno. Everything is a blur, but I hear voices of people screaming, hideous monsters ripping flesh, bullets ricocheting around me. I close my eyes, hard and tight. I force those sounds and images out of my mind. It works… for the moment. _

_Nankuranaisa. Live for tomorrow. A faint feeling of happiness rushes through my body, like when you come out of the water and meet the sun… the gradual feel of the sun bathing your skin with tingling heat. I feel lost in my own rapture. Who said those words, I can't remember. All I feel is a quickening thud in my heart. It hurts. Why do I feel sad all of a sudden? _

_I love you. I miss you. I hear those words in my head, but I can't see the face that said it. Why is my mind such a blank? I feel angry with myself. I can only feel, not think. I hate myself. I don't know anything. I want to know why I'm stuck in endless slumber, why I'm always dreaming for something but don't know what it is. I want to know who said those words of love, of family, of living in a world that hates me. Why would the world hate me though? I don't know, it suddenly popped into my head. Why do I feel helpless? My hands wrap around my legs tighter. I look like a fetus, I might be even one. I feel alone, that's all I know. I want those hands nuzzling my neck. I want those arms to hug me tightly, afraid to let go. I want his lips to kiss me again. I want him to be by my side forever. He did promise me that, but… _

_Another sharp pang surges through my vulnerable body. I miss him so much. I want to see him, and when I see him, I want to return his feelings because I feel that way too. But why do I have this feeling that is also fear? He's never coming back, is he? This time, as tears flow freely, I could feel them, taste them as they slid into my mouth. Salty. Bitter. _

_I squint my eyes open. Pink water surrounds me. Another thought emerges into my head. A rose. A pink rose. I used to dislike the color. But he gave me that, and I've grown to love it. Over the years, I forgot how roses smelt under my nose, how surprisingly sharp their thorns are. Those pink roses… they remind me of him. My eyes blink several times. Bubbles float around me. Past the pink tube, all I see is darkness. Pitch black, menacing… I'm scared. And lonely. _

_I need him. I've always needed him. Even when Kai, Dad, and Riku were there to comfort me, he was there, keeping watch over me. And how did I replace his care, his love? I kept rambling on about a family I've always wanted, always signaling him out. He'd always wanted happiness for me, never for himself. He'd only wanted to be with me, that was all. And what did I do? I ignored him. I accidentally bite my lip. A wisp of blood swirls in my cocoon. _

_I'm isolated in here. I'm alone. I open my mouth to say something, but more bubbles come out of my mouth. Where is everybody? Where's Kai? David-san? Lewis? Why aren't they coming to get me? Everything… suddenly, I remember all of it. It hurts to see my father and Riku's death play right before my eyes. Many have died because of what I am. Including him. _

_I killed him. Me. He's not coming back, because I…. I… _

"HAJI!"

_As the bubble breaks, as water flood the floor, I fall, my hair covering my line of sight. I soon cry. _

_Haji… don't leave me. Please… _

"Saya!"

_I look up and see his face. _"Haji." _I can't see a thing. Tears blur my vision. He's alive. He's kept his promise, always has. I want to see his face but the tears won't let me. Suddenly, I feel cold. Light chased away the darkness in the room. Still, the wind from outside manages to get in, sends chills all over my body. I repeat his name and he embraces me, wipes my tears away with his 'normal' hand. He wraps a towel over me. _

"Saya," he says. _I look up, but instead of finding happiness or relief in his face, he looks worried. _"Are you all right?"

_I nod. I feel fine. But still quite tired. I rub my eyes and yawn. I ask him, _"What's wrong, Haji?"_ Aren't you happy to see me? _

_As if reading my mind, he hugs me fiercely. I try my best to return it, to wrap my arms around him. But I feel weak somehow. I yawn once more. _

"Do you need blood?"_ he asks. _

_Hearing that, I feel my body prickling, my thirst growing, my throat parched. Even when I'm too excited to answer him, he instantly pulls out his dagger, slashes it across his palm. Blood flows freely and I quickly grab his outstretched hand and drink from his wound. Warm and sweet, it's delicious. I can sense him watching me intently. _

_Finished, I wrap the towel tighter around me. _"Haji… Gomen."

_Haji looks puzzled at my apology, brushes my soaked hair aside. _"What do you have to say sorry for?"

_I shake my head._ "For everything. All this time, I've only thought about myself. I barely gave a thought about you. Even when we first met, I made you make a promise to me… to be with me forever. I never gave you a chance to think of what you'd rather do in life. I only thought about my need for companionship, of… love. Besides that… I'm really sorry, Haji."

_My heart beats fast. I rest a hand on my chest. He stares at me once again, this time his eyes lighting up. I could see him smiling, faintly. He really does look handsome when he smiles. I can't believe I just noticed it now. _

"I'm always happy when you are happy." _I was about to interrupt but he shook his head._ "When you made me promise you, I was ecstatic beyond belief. And until now, I've always served you because I wanted to."_ He inches closer to me, touches my cheek. _"If I didn't want to serve you then, I would have said so."

_I was surprised. _"Haji, don't lie."_ If he tried to weed his way out of this through winning words of love and loyal servitude, he was dead wrong. _"You were always quiet. You rarely objected to what I wanted you to do for me."

_Haji frowns at me. I laugh inwardly. The last time he frowned at me that way was when I lost a bet to him. The bet took place when life was still 'normal' for me, when I was still able to laugh out loud, when I still saw Joel as my father. Haji had made fun of my cello playing. I then challenged him, telling him that I could play Bach better than him in a week. He accepted the challenge, of course. Joel was our audience. I was itching to bribe Joel with more lilies but he was a fair judge. Darn it. Anyways, he listened to our performance. In the end, I lost. My penalty was to cook for Joel and Haji. Joe had always conspired with Haji to make me cook. But I always saw the kitchen as a hellish place, camouflaged beneath aromatic smells of good food and friendly chefs. In my annoyance, I did make them something. Pig's intestines casserole. Joel forced it down his throat. Haji, on the other hand, frowned at me and ridiculed my cooking. I almost stabbed him with my sword but Joel fell ill in a second and we had to postpone our little war for next time. _

_It's hard to imagine Haji's face possessing expressions. Ever since that tragic evening, he'd hardly smile, frown, or cry. Since then, he'd become a machine. A handsome, pokerfaced butler seems more like it. But he is more than that. I laugh out loud this time, and I see him smile. _

_As soon as I stop giggling, I'm shivering. Haji rushes to me, wraps another towel over me. I shake my head though. I don't want the towel. I want him. I want Haji to touch me again. Maybe this was what I've yearned for all this time. His warmth melting into me, his face pressed against my hair, his breath tickling my ear, his love making my heart trip. _

"Haji, hug me."

_His eyes soften and he hugs me. He soon plants kisses on my forehead, on my cheeks. _"Saya, I've missed you."

_I love you, too. _

_When my chills have died down a bit, I open my mouth to ask him a question. I'm hesitant, afraid that after thirty years of sleep I wouldn't be able to see everyone anymore. This is my curse in exchange for eternal life. I hate it. I have to live on with it. But Haji is no exception, and I can't ignore that anymore. _

_I ask him. He blinks, hesitates. I give him a suspicious look. He ponders for a while, then answers my curiosity. _

"Actually, it's only been six years. You're shy of twenty-some years. I only came here because I could sense you calling for me. I'm surprised myself to find you awake right now."

_I am speechless. I can't believe it. Six years. That means… that means… everyone is… _

"Haji," _I struggle to get up. Haji helps me as always. _"I want to see everyone."

_He nods and carries me into his arms, and drops me in a corner of the dark chamber. I give him a puzzled look but he calmly walks to the middle of the room, picks up his cello case, and sets it in front of me. He takes out a dress, underwear, and some scissors. _

"We don't need to rush things. I passed by the shop and everyone's there, having a reunion. If you're making a grand entrance, might as well look like it."

_I smile. As I reach out to get my panties, I think better of it. I suddenly kiss him, deep. His eyes widen, but soon enough, he returns it, his tongue meeting mine. The towels slide off, and my arms coil around his neck, my small breasts making contact with his hard chest. When we let go of each other for breath, I whisper in his ear, _"I love you."

_For the first time, Haji blushes. He looks away and I giggle. _"Oh Haji, you're such a girl."_ I used to tease him about his gender, because he blushes more than I do. _

_He chuckles. _"You're a boy hopelessly trapped in a girl's body." _Haji said that every time to annoy me. Instead of chasing after him until I'd tire myself out, I think about it. _"You might be right about that."

_Again, Haji frowns. _"Well, I won't allow it. I used to say it to annoy you. It's nothing more but a joke." _Haji busies himself with the scissors. He snips at the air to avoid my eyes. _

_I laugh again. _"I've missed you, Haji." _I don't only mean his presence, but also his old self. The old Haji I'd met, I'd cared for, I'd loved. Slowly, he is coming back to me.  
_

_He simply nods and helps me with my dress. It's almost time to meet everybody. _

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To be continued…

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	2. Surprise

GOMEN NASAI

**GOMEN NASAI! I'm very, VERY sorry for making you all wait for this chapter. I was very busy with college stuff so I hope you forgive me! I also want to apologize for making it short but don't worry, I'm working on the next chapter already. So hopefully it'll come out sooner than expected. Anyways, I'd like to thank each and every one of you who has encouraged me to death… I love you all! **

**Izumi-Chama: **To my first reviewer, thanks very much! Sorry if I kept you waiting… I was pretty busy these days. Hope you'll enjoy the coming chapters!!

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**BlackVelvetBand: **Thank you! Actually, it wasn't Microsoft's fault for correcting me. I take the blame. When I was writing about Joel, I kind of remembered that his name started with a J, but I wasn't so sure what his name was exactly. Then I thought of 'Joe', and when you corrected me I realized that I made a teensy-weensy mistake… haha! But thanks for that! Thanks very much:)

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**Xxfallin'leavesxx: **Hahaha… Haji is the love of my life! Especially when embarrassed waahahahaha… I enjoy making him blush :) Thanks for the review!

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And now… **ENJOY!**

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_I wait quietly as Haji cuts my hair. There's no mirror, just dull, gray walls facing me. I let Haji take his time. Occasionally his face is centimeters away from mine, his eyes focused on my bangs. Some strands of hair fall near my eyes and he brushes them off immediately after they've made their descent on my skin. He looks very much like a professional hair stylist. I suddenly wonder if he trims his own hair. Then again, does his hair still grow? Since his time has stopped, does that mean that his hair follicles have stopped dead on its tracks? _

_As Haji is busy with my hair, I start to wander aimlessly and deep into my thoughts. My eyes instantly move in the direction of the broken tube. The water on the floor hasn't dried up yet, and the gaping cocoon reminds me of a Chiropteran attacking me, its sharp teeth ready to eat me whole, its jaw forever poised in a fierce position. I wonder why six years only passed and I'm already awake. Maybe Haji is fooling me into thinking that way so that I wouldn't cry my eyes out again. But Haji would never lie to me, that's for sure. _

_During our time together, Haji would undoubtedly tell the truth, whether it hurt me a lot or made my heart skip a beat—he was born with an honest tongue. But as the years swept by, I've noticed that he'd grown more reclusive. The last time I saw him, he'd stopped smiling. That hurt. Well, considering that I'd constantly ignore him, I didn't much care. My mind snaps back into reality as he appears directly in front me, looking at me as if my hair was some finished product he'd created from his own hands. I lower my head to avoid his gaze. _

_I could feel him still staring, maybe wondering at my sudden shyness. I blush like mad. He tenderly tips my head back, calls my name. I look into his gray eyes, his deep, unreadable eyes, and we continue to stare at each other like we are challenging each other in a staring contest. Tears start to roll down my cheeks. Haji's face seems unfazed. I grit my teeth, try to endure the pain in my eyes. He's definitely testing me now, no doubt about it. I will not lose to him, if that's what he thinks. _

"Saya," _he starts. _

_My eyes begin to burn but I continue to glare at Haji's calm face. _

"Time to put on your dress. It's already past seven and everyone might leave at any moment now," _he says. Not even for a second does he bat his eyes. _

"Huh?"_ The urge to blink overcomes me and I shut my eyes tightly. I press a hand over my strained eyes. When I look up at him, his smile is annoyingly naughty. _

"I win,"_ he says and turns around. He flips open a compartment in his cello case and holds out a pink dress for me. I glare at him. _

"You tricked me."

"I only told you what you needed to know. It's really past seven. On my way here I saw them halfway done with dinner. I'm sure Kai is going to visit _you_ once everyone is on their way. Unless you want to surprise everyone, we have to go now." _He holds out the dress again and waits for me to put it on. _

_I do so, right in front of him. He's gotten used to seeing me naked or with just my underwear on ever since I started hunting down for Diva. He would hand over my clothes and help me into them. While doing that, he would remain pokerfaced and silent. He wouldn't say a word, he wouldn't blush. He was like a machine. Maybe the reason why I tend to overlook him is because he's changed so much. But I can't blame him for that. I've caused him so much pain and he's said nothing to concur with that. _

_I put on my sandals, twirl around until my dress unfurls around me, and stop right before Haji. He nods, holds out his bandaged hand. I look at it before giving him mine, and I grip it, not wanting to let go. I can tell that he's surprised at my assertive attitude but I shake it off. I know that we need it both again—the relationship we've hold onto ever since we've met each other. We've always had each other, and at one point in time I'd abused it. I just let it go, let him go for the sake of family. There was nothing wrong with wanting to have a family. I could have a family and be with Haji at the same time. But I chose instead to have just that… to have a family without Haji. _

_And to think that I've known him since he was young. I've always known that his parents abandoned him; more like betrayed him for money. I should have supported him even more after realizing that he is alone in the world after cursing him. I'm the only one he's got and I tried to push him away. I was cruel to him. Sometimes, I hate myself for that. _

_Reading the remorse in my face, he squeezes my hand assuredly as if he is reading my mind. That kind of feeling is eerie. But the same blood flows within our veins; I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that Haji could read my mind. _

_Holding my hand, he leads me towards the light, to the door. _"Saya, ready?"

_I say yes. I squint under the blinding sunlight as soon as I step outside. I hear something crunch beneath my shoe. I look down and see a wilted pink rose under my feet. I bend over and pick it up. A blue ribbon wrapped around it, I know it's from him. _

"I was in a hurry so I wasn't able to get another one." _Haji looks ashamed of himself. _

"Idiot," _I whisper._ "You came back for me. That's all I need."

_He nods. I untie the ribbon from the stem and tell him to kneel down. He does so and I bind his smooth, dark hair with it. I let my hand rest on his cheek and he rests his on mine for a while before standing up. He's so tall I have to crane my neck every time I have to look at him straight in the eye. _

_I then look at the steps before me, and think of Dad. This is where I thought my life had started. But I was wrong. About a century before, when I'd met Haji for the first time—that was when my life began. I had to admit that I was happy then. Joel was indeed like a father to me and Haji was my dearest friend. _

_We make our way down the steps. When we reach the last step and turn down the lane, I look up to see the sky so blue, so clear. The sun is nowhere in sight. The weather is perfect though, like an omen that harbingers spectacular days ahead for me. Out of the blue I tell Haji that we should go to the beach one time. He nods and smiles. I turn on my heels and resume walking down the street. _

_My heart begins to pound nonstop as I walk into the shop's direction. Even though I can't hear them, I know that they're all in there, unsuspecting of my return. I try to conceal my excitement. My hands, however, give my edginess away. They are cold and clammy, and my cheeks are burning red. I breathe in deeply, try to stop my nervousness from showing. _

_As we turn to a corner, I am too slow to evade bumping into a man who has just turned down the same corner from the other side. Haji grabs me from behind, preventing my fall. The man in black tips his fedora hat lower to conceal his eyes, steps back, and gravely apologizes. I also deeply apologize. A hint of a smile plays across his lips as he walks past us. I look at his retreating figure and wonder why he smiled. It could be just my imagination, but I doubt it. Something about him is very suspicious. Somehow, nostalgia also fills me. _

_Without warning, dizziness suddenly takes hold of me. I take a couple of fumbling steps forward. Haji grabs my shoulder again, as I was about to fall. I feel sleepy all of a sudden and yawn. _

"Saya, what's wrong?"

_I hear a voice inside me crying out. It's not Haji's. Not Kai's or Riku's. It's someone else's. Who is it then? Who are you? _

"I… I don't know." _My head hurts._ "I'm tired, I'm very tired. But I can't bring myself to fall asleep just yet. I feel that… there's something missing, Haji. There's something I need to figure out. And I don't know what that is. It's weird, Haji." _I look up_. "There's something in my past I don't know yet. I can feel it. Nobody knows it except me. Something deep within me, in my subconscious, I know there's another piece in the puzzle that remains unsolved. And I have to figure it out. Soon."

_All these words, these strange justifications that come out of my mouth—they don't make the least bit of sense to me. But somehow, I know them to be true. The burning sensation that urges me to look for something overcomes me again, the same feeling I had when I was struggling to get out of the tube. Maybe part of my inner struggle is to let Haji know how I feel about him. But I just realize that I'm still searching for something else, and it's neither Kai nor Haji. Something beyond my reach is calling out to me, and yet, I can feel it within me. I can't really explain it well but as I dig down deeper into my memories I can hear someone is calling my name. I can see Joel and Haji and… another person. _

_I can't see his face clearly but I can distinctly hear him calling my name. He walks towards me and he brushes my bangs aside. His fingers are cold. But I like him. I smile up at him and I see him returning it with a handsome grin. _

"_Where have you been? I almost thought that you're never coming back," I say to him._

_He laughs. "You know I would never leave you. Never ever. You understand?" He pats my head. _

"_Then why did you go for so long?"_

"_Because I had some business to take care of. Besides, Haji is with you, right? He doesn't make you feel lonely, does he?"_

"_No, no. Not at all. But I've missed you."_

"_I'm glad."_

"_You're glad for making me worry?" _

"_No, no. I'm glad that you care about me so much." _

"_I want you to always remember that, ok?" _

"_Ok."_

"_You promise?"_

"_I do."_

_Darkness wraps around me. I fall into it without much resistance. As I'm on the verge of unconsciousness, I can hear him calling out to me. It's not Haji but someone else I've forced to forget. Even Haji forgot who he was. It's weird. Somehow, I'm attracted to him but also repulsed by him. I'm confused. My head aches from thinking too much. I then fall into sleep again, willing those past memories to go away in a blink. _

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"I can't believe she's awake," Kai muttered. He stared at Saya sleeping soundly in the futon before turning to Haji. Haji shook his head, unable to answer Kai's worried face. It has already been nine days since Saya fell unconscious. Haji decided to bring her to Julia while she was nearby.

Working on her computer, Julia re-examined Saya's blood sample. Even though her heartbeat, blood pressure, and breathing functioned at a lower level than normal, Saya's health was perfect. She still healed at an alarming rate, and she consumed blood in bucketfuls even while asleep. Julia was simply puzzled by Saya's untimely presence. How could she have come around long before her expecting awakening, she asked herself.

"Maybe she wouldn't wake up anymore," Kai said out loud all of a sudden.

David, who was leaning against the wall next to Julia's seat, shook his head. "If she were to go back to her thirty-sleep again, Saya would have built a 'cocoon' around her by now. That's how it always was." He paused for a moment before continuing, "It's hard to say that her premature awakening is a mere glitch."

Kai turned to David. "Are you saying that there's something more to this? Do you think… maybe… the deep sleep is becoming erratic because…" Kai stopped. He didn't know what to say. He was extremely confused. Even from the beginning, hearing of Saya's long slumber, it didn't make sense to him. This time was no exception; it also gave him a migraine. "I don't understand any of this."

Julia rose from her chair and sat on the floor right next to Saya. She touched Saya's wrist, checked her pulse. "So far David, Lewis, Joel, and I have been coming up with theories to fit what we are witnessing now. One theory I'd like to stick to is that Saya's sleep may be slowly disintegrating to smaller intervals primarily due to Diva's death."

"Diva's death?" Kai asked. Kai's wheels began to turn inside his head. "Could it be that… because she shared the same sleeping space as Diva, her sleeping process is broken because Diva's no longer alive?"

Julia nodded tentatively. "But there's another hitch to the theory. Saya and Diva, even though they shared the same womb, were always independent of each other. It's only natural that if the other twin dies, the other one moves on with life with no major setbacks. However, it doesn't make much sense that Saya's sleep should be interrupted because Diva is dead." Julia fell silent, unable to even comprehend her own words.

"But like you said earlier, it is possible that the sleeping spell could be broken. It could be true that the spell is finally broken because Saya's connection with Diva is over," Lewis conjectured.

"So you're saying that since Saya and Diva only connected in sleep, that when Diva died, their years-long slumber is gradually disintegrating?" David asked.

Lewis scratched his head in frustration. He took a huge bite out of a potato croquette. "Everything we say ends up sounding so contradictory! That's why I've always hated venturing guesses."

David ignored Lewis, rubbed his chin in heavy thought. "But then again, according to Joel's Diary, even when they were first discovered, Saya and Diva were already independent of each other. If Amshel hadn't let his blood drip on the other cocoon, then that cocoon wouldn't have responded at all. In other words, it's hard to conclude that their sleep is breaking because Diva is dead. They basically don't have a connection in sleep."

"Darn it! I need more croquettes! I'll be back in a few," Lewis said while storming out of the room.

Kai let a smirk creep to his lips. "Lewis is down." He then scratched his head. "So am I." Once again, he looked at Saya. _Saya, wake up. Please._ He walked towards her, knelt next to her futon, and planted a hand on her forehead. _Saya._

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_(Flashback or Dream (?))_

"_Ne, Haji. Where do you think he's gone off to again?" I munch on a sandwich and stare at the orange-drenched horizon ahead. _

_Haji shrugs. He always tries to avoid talking about him. "I don't know."_

"_Mmm? You sure you don't know?" I ask Haji teasingly. I know that Haji's getting mad at me for asking about him. _

"_I don't know," he repeats. He continues to peel an apple silently. I stare at his long, pale fingers. I wish I had long, pale fingers. _

"_Why don't you like him?"_

_Haji ignores the question. "I just have a feeling."_

"_A feeling?"_

"_Yes. A bad feeling about him." Haji gives me a slice of apple. I take it with a smile and wolf it down immediately. _

"_Why do you say that? Joel trusts him. I trust him. You should too," I say naively. _

_Haji stops peeling. "Why don't you trust Amshel then?"_

_That question takes me completely off guard for a second. "What do you mean? He and Amshel are different."_

"_Well, it's not about them being different from one another. It's more like you have a bad feeling about Amshel and I have a bad feeling about him. That's all."_

_I contemplate on that for a moment. "Could it be… you're jealous?"_

_Haji blushes. "Jealous? Of him? I'm not."_

_I giggle. "Ok, suit yourself." Haji doesn't show that he's affected of what I say. I inch closer to Haji, whisper into his ear, "You're the only one, Haji. The only one for me. Remember that, ok?" _

_Haji looks into my eyes, and nods. "Ok."_

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"Kai! Kai!"

"I'm not going to answer you if you keep calling me 'Kai'!"

"Really…" Kanade looked flustered for a second. She pouted in Kai's direction, then said, "Dad…"

"Yes?" Kai asked almost mockingly. He could tell that Kanade was getting embarrassed. With a composed face, he dried her damp hair with a towel.

"Ne, _Dad,_ who is that beautiful girl in the guest room?" Kanade asked.

Kai almost admitted that the guest room once belonged to her late, biological father, Riku. He looked into Kanade's blue eyes—very much like Diva's—and ruffled her dark hair. She was only six years old but amazingly, she knew more than half of the truth about her parents' deaths and she still accepted it as if it were a basic fact of life. There was certainly no point in hiding the fact that Riku's former room was usually used as a storage room. But he chose not to say anything at all for now. It was hard enough to know that Saya was only a few feet away from where he was standing, what more reminiscing the past?

He smiled for Kanade. "Your aunt."

"My aunt! Really? But I thought…" She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "Liar."

"_Baka_. Why would I lie about that?" He grabbed a hairbrush from the countertop and started brushing her smooth hair. He began counting from one to a hundred, as was the conventional custom to attaining silky smooth locks.

"Because Aunt Saya is supposed to be sleeping still in the tomb, right? Why would she be here when she's sleeping then? You must be making fun of me again," Kanade retorted. She stared at the tiled wall of the bathroom. "Ne, Kai—"

"Dad."

"_Daaaad,"_ she paused for a while, then said, "You're not lying, are you?" She tilted her head to the side as always, and was about to turn her head around when Kai stopped her.

"Don't move. We're halfway through this."

"But… you're not lying, right?" she asked anxiously.

"Of course not. Why are you suddenly so worked up about this, Kanade?" Kai hesitated, almost skipped a number. He regained composure, continued his tedious counting.

"Because…"

"KAI! KAI!"

They both turned around, finding Kanade's twin sister Hibiki barging into the bathroom. Her cheeks were flushed, her whiskey-tinted eyes wide with urgency. She gasped for breath, evidence of her rushing to the bathroom.

"Hibiki, what's wrong?" Kai asked, standing up from his knelt position.

"David-san… he's calling you. He said it's important."

Kai nodded and put down the brush. He then ushered the twins out the bathroom and into their bedroom, which was right across the bathroom. "Time for bed."

"WHAT?" the twins exclaimed in unison. "KAI! It's only 8: 45!"

"It's Dad! DAD! Get it right this time!" Instead of sounding teasingly sarcastic as always, they could feel that he wasn't joking this time. They quietly nodded in response and climbed into their bunk beds, with Kanade at the top and Hibiki the bottom.

"Goodnight."

"GOODNIGHT! Dad…"

Kai smiled, switched off the light, and closed the door. He sighed, looked to his right. He soon began to make his way to Riku's room, where everybody involved was gathering around. He stopped at the end of the hallway, right in front of the door. He breathed in deeply and turned the doorknob.

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**You like? No? Why? TELL ME! **

**To be continued… (soon, promise) **


	3. Past Reopened

Hi everyone! My deepest apologies for not updating this fic any sooner; I got caught up with so much schoolwork that I didn't have time to write the next chapter. But here I am once again, giving the best I have to you. I hope you enjoy this one. This chapter has been immensely challenging, especially so when I had to redo the loopholes of my first draft of the chapter. I have to warn you that this chapter is rather confusing and mind-numbing, as I try to come up with something new (and _old_) for the story to develop an exciting twist. However, your thoughts and suggestions are always welcome.

In addition, I changed the writing style somewhat, contrary to the previous chapters; because honestly, not only were some of you confused, but I too was getting confused. So please feel free letting me know if you have problems with my writing. I'll try my best to make things easier for all of us.

I would also like to thank the following reviewers for the support you've given me (since the last chapter). Your critique and suggestions have been a great help.

**Noelle:** I'm glad you love it. Thank you!

**T.A. Raskelt:** Hope you'll like this one.

**Simmian7:** Nice suggestion. It would have certainly made the gang's jaws drop to the floor if he were Amshel's twin. But I'd let you be the judge of the character I just created. Hope it meets your expectations.

**JxFxM:** Very flattered, thanks!

**D-chi:** Hope this chapter is developing nicely.

**Yuan Edwards: **Here's the update! Your comment would be very nice.

**Ani:** Sneaky… that is one of the best complements anyone has given me. Hope this one bears as much promise as your expectations.

**Jadare:** LOL. Thanks for the review! Tell me what you think of this dude, all right?

**Rysha and Affie: **Thank you! Keep me posted on what you think, okey?

**Saya Otonashi Cullen: **Hope Saya didn't wait too long for the update. Enjoy!

**9081:** Thanks, here's the chapter you've been waiting for.

**yamicheza: **Thank you! Here's the chapter for you… and for everyone else of course.

**Kimz11Plyr: **More romantic moments coming up… more in later chapters. ;)

**Topspin320: **Thanks very much!

**Fun Fact:** You… absolutely saved me! Bows. Thank you so much for the info. I wasn't sure if they named the babies so I made up my own. But thanks to you, I'm relieved to know that they were given names. Thanks again. Hope you'll like this chapter.

**Teen: **Thanks for the critique. Sorry if my style is different and rather confusing, so I changed the style somewhat on this chapter just to make others less confused, including myself. Thanks again for the review. Hope you'll like this one.

**AnimusPatronus:** I'm glad this fic somehow inspired you. Thanks, you just flatter me.

**Gyuunmaesan: **I don't think the twins are aware… not yet. But read on and we'll see how they feel about their aunt.

**IchigoNekoKun:** Lol… love your review. Made me laugh. Hope this chapter amuses you, just as your review amused me.

**TheFinalCountdown: **Thank you!

**EverlastingNight:** Here you go! Hope you like it.

**CornflowerBlue:** Thanks for the review. Enjoy the chapter!

**Simmie: **Read on and you'll find out. Let me know what you think in the end of this.

**Taeniaea: **Thanks!

**SayaHaji1648: **Lol… I think that this chapter answers some of your questions. Please let me know if you like it… or not.

Thanks once again for your reviews. Enjoy!

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_Haji is chasing after me. The gap between us is thinning as we sprint across the wide expanse of land beneath us. The lush greenery around us is calming and beautiful: the trees dance restlessly with the wind's sporadic rhythm; the grass beneath us reminds me of the plush red carpet in the mansion; different species of flowers emit varying scents that excite me further. My legs pump faster towards the hill, bringing me further away from Haji. I laugh, I feel giddy. _

_Curious of how Haji is faring I look back. _

_Horror strikes the depth of my soul. _

_Haji is no longer chasing after me. It's him. Those handsome, devilish green eyes and all-knowing smirk drive a spike through my chilled heart. I stop for a minute, but his fast approach pushes me out of my fatal pause. I run, I will my legs not to give in at this crucial moment. I call out Haji's name. No sound comes out. I try Joel's. Nothing. I'm mute. No! What is happening to me? I can feel his breath against the back of my neck. Shit, Haji! _

_Frantic tears fall and I start to shake. Oh God, please no! I feel my legs buckling. But I compel myself not to look back, afraid of what I'll find. I reach the hill and look down. To my further dismay, a quiet lake is waiting below. Looks like this is the end of me. I die alone, without Haji and Joel knowing of my demise. I bite my lip, hard. I taste blood on my lip, lick it. Feeling a little more at peace with myself, I look back and see him coming. His eyes lock onto mine, his grin ever frightening me. _

_I close my eyes. _

_I trusted you but you betrayed me. I hate you. I loved you as a friend but you only wanted me for power. I hate you so much… Father. _

_I fall backwards, into the water. _

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"Saya?" Kai forced himself not to lunge at her, as he saw her eyes twitch and slowly take in the room's light. Haji too tried not to touch her, afraid that she would break under his touch. She seemed so fragile at that moment, her awakening only a fleeting suspension of time. Everyone in the room was afraid of letting out a breath, of fear that doing so would cause the miracle to break, thus plunging Saya back to her long slumber.

She groaned, shielded her eyes from the blinding light overhead. She breathed in deeply, as if her life depended on it. Saya shakily moved her hand away from her eyes, slowly opened them. Confused of her whereabouts, she frantically sat up. A surprised yelp escaped her as she recognized everyone in the room—her friends, her family—watching over her. Her gaze immediately fell on Kai. As always, with worried eyes, he stared at her as if he were looking into her soul. He opened his mouth but chose not to say a word. He merely put his hand on hers, squeezed it very tight. A tear fell, and Saya returned the gesture. She then shifted her gaze from Kai to Julia, whose hair was stylishly cut short, her face and figure beautiful as ever; she smiled at Saya. Saya nodded and saw David-san's hand on his wife's. The ex-agent's forehead deepened with lines but overall his handsome face was still intact. Contrary to the first time she met him, he seemed much happier now. She willed herself not to cry right there and then, seeing that everyone whom she cared for was still alive and well, as if they have been waiting for her the whole time. She then noticed Lewis munching on something, which reminded her that she was getting hungry.

"Saya." Saya instantly turned to Haji. They both stared at each other, as if a telepathic conversation was taking place. An awkward silence filled the room.

"Haji," she hissed, her voice quite hoarse. "I'm hungry."

Kai broke out laughing, and everyone joined in. Saya frowned, believing that her hungry state was no joking matter.

Saya crossed her arms over her chest, glared at Kai. Kai, seeing her irritation, instantly stopped laughing, stood up. "I believe we have plenty of leftovers from today's dinner. Hardly anyone touched their meal, so rest assured that you won't go hungry till next morning."

After Kai left the room, Saya suddenly felt self-conscious and afraid of looking at David-san and the others. Even Kai seemed uneasy around her. What should she tell them? Hi, everyone! Guess what? I woke up earlier than expected. Why don't we go out for a picnic and catch up on things? The situation at hand was not simple at all. Actually, she was just as puzzled as they were about her current condition. Even Haji looked at her with a hint of confusion and worry.

She heaved a sigh, closed her eyes. "Everyone… I…"

"Whoa! She's pretty!"

Saya was startled to find a pair of pale blue eyes gawking at her, eyes that reminded her of a painfully long past. She gripped the bed sheet, her heart almost skipping a beat as a younger version of Diva appeared in front of her. The little Diva look-alike must have noticed the terror in Saya's face, for she began to look puzzled and started moving away from the bed. Lewis quickly approached the little girl, assured her that everything was all right.

Tenderly directing the little girl to the door, Lewis apologized to Saya. "Sorry, didn't notice her sneaking in." Lewis tried to smile but Saya could tell that it was strained. That saddened her. "Kanade, aren't you supposed to be in bed by now? Kai—Daddy's not gonna be happy about this if he finds out that you've been snooping around again."

"But Uncle Lewis… who is she? Why does she look like me and Hibiki?" Kanade tried to wrench away from Lewis but his hold on her was firm.

"Shhh… c'mon let's go to bed now."

"But uncle… I'm not yet tired—" Her voice trailed off as Lewis quickly shut the door after him.

Once again, silence consumed them. Saya felt a cold shiver running down her spine. Haji saw her shaking, so he quickly draped the sheet over her shoulders. She held onto his shirt, wishing him not to widen the gap between them. Haji complied, wrapped an arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder, breathed in his scent. At that instant, feelings of tension gradually wore down and she grew more secure of herself.

Saya whispered her thanks to Haji and sat up. Faced with David and Julia, she tried to start conversationally. "Um… I see that you two are doing well. And last I heard you were pregnant," Saya beamed at Julia.

The doctor nodded, grinned. "Yes, our son's name is Oliver. He looks just like his father," she looked up at David, flashed him a proud grin. "He also just turned six this year. We would have wanted him to meet you, but he was tired so he went to bed earlier than usual."

"I see. It's all right, there's always tomorrow." Saya attempted to smile but knew better. She quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on myself, why I'm awake. I know it troubles you but—"

Julia suddenly slid next to Saya, hugged her. "Don't be sorry, never be. Coming back earlier than expected may be, to simply put it, unexpected, but it has honestly brightened our days. Sure, we're still speculating of your untimely awakening, but that doesn't imply that we don't want you here with us." Julia released her hold, rubbed Saya's cheek. "Always remember that having you here has tremendously inspired our lives. You are, after all, family, Saya."

Saya closed her eyes, smiled. "Thank you, Julia."

David approached the bed, laid a hand on Julia's shoulder. "You might be wondering who the little girl was awhile ago."

Saya tried not to think of Diva, of her whirlwind past not too long ago. "She's one of my nieces, isn't she?"

"Yes." A pause. "Her name's Kanade, and her twin sister's name is Hibiki. Kai has been raising them all this time."

Saya nodded, sighed. "I see." She hesitated but continued, "She looks a lot like Diva, that's all. I guess that's what caught me off guard for a moment."

"We understand," Julia reassured Saya.

"Kai has always been good with kids. I wouldn't be surprised that they turned out so well." Saya paused for a moment. "I'd like to meet them sometime."

"Of course." Julia patted Saya's hand. "You'd love them, just as we do."

A knock on the door suspended their conversation. Haji opened the door and Kai slipped in with a tray full of delectable dishes. "They may be leftovers but they're good. Plus, they're mostly your favorites." Haji helped Kai plant the tray on Saya's lap without spilling soup on the sheet.

"Eat up, Saya. It's been a few years since you last eaten food this delicious," Kai urged Saya not to be shy. She quietly nodded and began munching food as if she were stocking up for another decade or so. While eating, David and Julia nudged Kai to meet outside the room. Kai told Saya that they would be outside if she needed them.

It didn't take a genius to know what they were planning—a little conference amongst themselves. But Saya could care no less. The food was spectacular! The fried shrimp, which felt like it turned to water as soon as it touched her tongue, was incredulous. The miso soup warmed her belly, the tofu perfectly shaped and fresh. Bean sprouts sautéed in garlic wasn't always her favorite, but it was refreshing. She then bit into the chicken karaage, the _crunch_ sound resounding in her ears. She tried not to make a mess but she had to admit, she couldn't hold back. She even ignored Haji chuckling beside her. A bite of the grilled eel nearly gave her an orgasm. She seriously had to _kudos_ Kai for his excellent cooking.

It almost reminded her of… Dad.

Suddenly, her head began to spin. She dropped her chopsticks, smacked her temples to stop the migraine from spreading across her head.

"Saya!" Haji jumped up, pulled the food tray away from her. "Saya, what's wrong? Saya!"

"Haji… he… he's back." Saya looked at him with fear. "He's come back for me."

"Who?" Haji thought about Amshel's return from the grave but it was impossible. He absolutely made sure that Amshel stayed dead beneath the rubble. But nothing was impossible. After all, he survived, didn't he? But still, he stabbed the bastard with Saya's sword dripped with her blood—he must be rotting in hell by now. But who could Saya be referring to? Even Diva didn't instill this much fear while she was still alive.

He nudged her to focus on him. "Saya, who is back? Tell me."

"Haji… He… he…" she began to shake, slammed her eyes shut. She whispered the name but her voice was too soft for Haji to hear her audibly.

"Who?"

"Ni… Nicholas… he's alive, Haji."

Dumbfounded, Haji let go of Saya, afraid that she would feel him shaking. He turned around; for fear that she would see through his hard exterior, see the clear terror in his eyes. "How… I thought that Joel killed him… with your blood."

"I… Joel… we didn't tell you everything." She choked back the tears and bit her lip. She answered his confused look, "I'll explain later, but what scares me the most is that he saw us. This morning, afternoon… awhile back… it was him, the man I bumped into."

Even before telling him that, he already had the inkling of what she was thinking. But he chose to ignore it, fearful of what would happen next. They remained in apprehensive silence. Neither of them dared speak up. The revelation was too much to bear. But… if Nicholas was back, didn't that mean that it was connected to Saya's premature awakening? Would that mean that he was after Saya again? Haji whipped around to face Saya, embraced her.

"I won't let him near you again. Never ever. I promise you that, Saya."

"Haji," she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, kissed him. "Thank you."

"Saya?"

The couple looked up to find Kai, David, Julia, Lewis, and Joel at the door. Kai noticed something different about Saya and Haji. He didn't say a word but thought to ask Saya or Haji later.

Seeing Joel, Saya brightened up. She immediately asked how he was doing, questioned him on his sudden appearance. He explained to her that he had a business meeting to attend to, but when he found out that Saya was back, he, without another moment's hesitation, cancelled the meeting and ordered to be driven back to Kai's place. What kind of business has he started, Saya, ever so curious, asked. He chuckled, told her that he partnered with a friend in a real estate business. Saya vaguely understood the term but she expressed her happiness for him.

Joel momentarily turned to Haji, questioning the man about his trip to France.

"France? You went to France?" Saya asked, incredulous and half-jealous.

"Yes. I played with an orchestra for a few months to earn some money." He didn't want to say more, knowing that if he told Saya where he had gone to, she would slash him in half for not bringing her to the places she'd dreamed of going all her life.

"Just France, Haji?"

He was a terrible liar. He knew it, so did she. "Yes, just France."

She raised a brow. "Oh really?"

"Yes."

"You're really telling me the truth?"

"Yes."

"Ok. Good for you. You played with a big orchestra?"

"Hmmm… Pretty decent size, not too big."

Saya nodded her approval.

"Very nice, you are a talented cellist after all." She paused for effect. "I did teach you the works."

"Yes, you were a great teacher."

"Indeed. How was Munich?"

"Not bad."

She threw a pillow at him. "Just France, huh?!"

Haji's cheeks felt warm. He avoided her stare. "Well, it's not like I'm able to carry your cocoon with me around Europe. Besides, I was only making money so that I… I would be able to bring you to the places you've always wanted to go to. That's just that."

Saya pecked him on the cheek, made him promise to her that they would one day go on a long vacation together.

Haji's cheeks were a deep shade of maroon. "It's a promise."

"All right then, think it's time for bed," David broke the couple's connection. Although they all knew that no one would be able to sleep a wink tonight, nothing could be gleaned from just one night's miraculous occurrence; they knew nothing of what was happening, so it would be completely futile to go on speculating about different possibilities of Saya's wakening right there and then. Everybody decided to stay in Kai's place for the night. Soon they bid each other goodnight and quickly filed out of the room. Kai was the last one out.

"Goodnight, Saya. I'm glad you're back."

"Me too. Goodnight, Kai."

With that, he shut the door behind him.

Both Haji and Saya were relieved when everyone left. Even if they asked Saya and Haji if they knew something, they knew better than to involve them in this matter, especially when their lives were finally at peace. Kai, David, Julia, Lewis, and Joel finally had normal lives to live, unlike Saya and Haji. They couldn't involve the others into a situation where it bordered on more evil and deadly matters. Being cursed with immortality and such hellish mutation had always been their cross to bear.

"Haji, we have to leave here tonight."

Haji tentatively nodded. He opened his mouth a few times, but thought better not to say.

"What is it?"

"What about your nieces?"

"Haji, they're mainly the reason why I want to leave. To involve Kai and David-san into this would only endanger the twins. I wouldn't want that to happen. I want them to be happy, to live like normal people. Diva and I are a different story, but this time, these two have a chance to _be_ normal. I want them to cherish that, to experience it. They are better off not knowing where they came from, what their blood is composed of."

Haji agreed, confirmed that Saya only wanted the best for her nieces.

Later that night, the room was quiet, dark, and empty. The only light in the room came from the digital clock. It read a quarter past three. Everyone else in the house was fast asleep, except for Hibiki, who saw green orbs staring back at her.

She awoke from her nightmare and started screaming.

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"_Saya, Haji, run!" Joel hollers from behind. He is on the floor, bleeding from a wound. I stop and call out Joel's name. _

_Haji grabs my hand, pulls me alongside him, and leads me towards the woods looming ahead of us. _

"_Haji, we can't leave Joel behind!" I hesitate, constantly looking behind me in hopes of finding Joel catching up with us. _

"_Saya, don't be an idiot. We have to move otherwise, he would take you away. That's the last thing Joel wants. If you respect Joel, respect his wishes."_

_I feel like slapping myself for being weak. Tears wouldn't stop cascading down my cheeks but I continue running with Haji, hand in hand. Though the chill of the night creeps into my sweaty body, the warmth from Haji's hand temporarily transmits some heat into mine. _

_I look up at Haji, who only sixteen outgrew me by approximately two feet, and I grip his hand tighter. I notice some scratches on his face and, I somehow feel like apologizing because I feel partly responsible for what is happening. Stray branches from all sides slap my face and bare legs. My dress is torn but I could care less. Right now, I am afraid and confused, but most of all I feel betrayed. _

_In front of my eyes, Nicholas, a trusted friend of Joel's, stabbed him. I was stupid for standing horrified and immobilized for more than a minute. I should have called help for Joel. Instead, wide-eyed and terrified, I merely stared back at Nicholas' evil eyes. He told me he wanted me. He wanted me to be his queen. I was confused. Queen? Queen of what? I didn't understand. Suddenly, he lunged at me, pinned me down to the floor of Joel's office. This time I started yelling. I heard the door creak open and Haji came to my rescue, brought a vase down the bastard's head. His blood trickled down his scalp, spilled a few drops on my cheek. Disgusting. _

_Then Joel ordered Haji to bring me with him and make a run for it. Haji did so, and now we're almost out of breath in the middle of the forest. I start to panic, not knowing where we are. I hold Haji's big hand, afraid that he would leave me. Haji squeezes my hand, assures me that he wouldn't leave me, that he would always be by my side. _

_We continue running until we find an open area. A rivulet runs peacefully in front of us. Without a moment to lose, we gulp in some water, parched as we are. Refreshed, we decide to cross the river. Rocks make a broken path that leads us to the other side. Haji goes first. Halfway through he turns around and offers his hand for me. I make a grab for it but I slip and fall into the water. The water level is very low so the prospect of drowning is impossible. Haji hurries to help me but because of my klutziness, we didn't notice that Nicholas had already caught up with us. _

_With a broken branch, he hits Haji right in the face. I scream as Haji is thrown back into the water. Luckily, his face is above the water level. But still. I push myself up and make my way for Haji when Nicholas pulls me back by the hair. I fall back into the water. I struggle against him. He slaps me in the face. I could feel the bruise already forming right then. He rips my dress open. Revolted and angered beyond measure, I punch him. Taken by surprise, he backs up, his grip loosens. I have the chance to escape. I kick him near the sensitive area, grab a small rock and hit his face. His yells out and cusses like there's no tomorrow. Small victory momentarily overwhelms me as I stand up and pounce to Haji's side._

_His temple is bruised and bleeding (but not profusely). I nudge him to wake up but he's out cold. Worried, I look back and find Nicholas getting up, his eyes crazed for the kill. I shake Haji, but it is useless. I look around and find a stick. It seems sturdy enough. I stand up and pose a fighting stance. I'm not going to let him win. He hurt Joel and Haji, and dares to rape me. Well, he's definitely met the wrong person to deal with. I wait for him to attack. But he just stands there, his eyes amused. He lets out a chuckle. _

"_What's so funny, dammit!" _

"_You… remind me of your mother."_

"_My… mother?" _

"_Saya!" Out of nowhere, Joel appears with a saber behind Nicholas. He lunges towards where Nicholas is standing. Nicholas lithely dodges each of Joel's attacks. I gasp as I see Joel's front shirt soaked with blood. Pleading with him is futile; Joel has always been inflexible, especially in terms of his beliefs. I look around frantically, praying to God that Joel hasn't been killed yet. So far only rocks set around me are at my disposal. _

_I kneel down to grab one when I hear Joel's cry of agony. I yell at Nicholas, who seizes Joel by the neck, to let him go. Distracted, Nicholas looks at me. I run towards him. I don't know why I'm sprinting towards him, with only a rock as a weapon, but I want to save Joel. If he kills Joel… _

_Just then, he throws Joel at me. We both fall down, him on top of me. I cry out when I feel a sharp pain against my back and arm. My back hurts from the fall, but I see that my arm is bleeding from the gash made by Joel's sword as he lays unconsciousness above me. I sense Nicholas coming towards me. In that instant, I grab the sword, gently shove Joel aside, and wait for him to come at me. _

_He smirks at me, at my sword, as if he isn't afraid of my weapon, as if telling me that he is immortal. _

_I pay no attention to his smug look. I want to erase it from my sight at once! I'm ready for him, when suddenly a wave of dizziness hits me. I stumble but I keep my stance. I hear his low chuckle. Wha… What's happening? My blood drips down to the tip of the sword. The rivulet is tinted with blood. Perhaps, this is the end of me. He's inches away from me. I close my eyes and see Haji and Joel walking away from me. I'm going to die._

_He charges at me. With all the strength left that I could muster, I plunge the sword into his chest. Though I didn't hit him dead center, I can tell that I inflict so much pain, as he yells out with such excruciating agony. I can't see his face, as everything around me stars to blur. I only hear him gasping for breath, his steps retreating. _

_I fall down, and hear the water flowing around me. I feel cold. Maybe it's the water, or maybe it's because I'm dying. I hear someone moving beside me. I have no strength left to move so I just close my eyes. Sorry, Haji. Take care of Joel for me. _

"_Saya! Saya!" _

_Haji's voice is so low and very manly. Hmmm… _

"_Saya, wake up!"_

_I'm tired. Let me sleep, idiot. _

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"Saya."

Saya found herself in Haji's arms. They were in a dilapidated warehouse. The air was chilly, but sticking close to each other made the cold more bearable. Haji unbuttoned his shirt, exposed his neck to her. Saya hungrily bit into his skin, sucked his blood, the sensation of satisfying her hunger was exhilarating.

When she was finished, she thanked him. Saya rested her head on his chest. She could hear no heartbeat, but that didn't matter. Haji would always be with her, just as he promised her. They remained quiet for a while, listening to the wind blowing against the corrugated roof and the faint flapping of wings from restless bats and insects outside.

"So Joel didn't kill him. You did," Haji made sure that he understood her right.

Saya confirmed, "Yes. I lost a lot of blood so I fell unconscious. I vaguely remember Joel saying that you brought the both of us back to the mansion."

Haji curtly nodded his head. "It was a good thing Joel's wound wasn't as deep as we thought it was."

"Yeah, definitely."

A pause.

"But Joel then discovered about my blood having that sort of effect on my counterpart. Right before he died," she had to close her eyes to calm herself, as she remembered the image of Diva killing Joel. "Right before he let out his last breath, Joel told me that the only way to stop Diva was to kill her with my blood. After the incident with Nicholas, Joel must have figured it out."

"Then that explains Joel's elusiveness since then." Haji thought about it, and then said, "Which would mean that he found out something about your mother… or maybe something about your lineage."

With pursed lips, Saya muttered, "Nicholas… was my father. That much I gleaned from Joel and the way Nicholas acted during our last encounter."

Haji tentatively nodded. "He could be the beginning of everything, or just part of it."

"Could be. For Nicholas to reveal his _intimacy with_ _my mother_, there's a possibility that my fight with Diva was not the beginning of a feudal sisterly relationship. It could be that the struggle for power had already occurred generations back."

"But that is just a guess."

Nevertheless, Saya shuddered at the thought. "Nicholas wanted me because I could carry on the accursed lineage. Just like my mother and Diva, who were left powerless after giving birth, I would have been easily eradicated if Nicholas was successful in his plan to impregnate me." _EUW._ She paused, speculated the countless possibilities running in her head. She then added, "If he was after me, then that would mean he served my mother's other twin."

"Technically your _aunt_," Haji said, stating the obvious.

"Yes, so…"

"Your aunt could still be alive."

"Which would explain why Nicholas is back. In getting rid of me, she doesn't have to be worried about getting killed. I am the remaining blood relative of her counterpart that can destroy her. Although I don't understand how Nicholas could still be alive. He should have died a long time ago."

Haji made no immediate reply to that. "But Saya, you forget something. You aren't the only one _your aunt_ should be concerned about if she wants to claim the _throne_ all to herself."

Saya looked up and realized what Haji meant. "My nieces. They could be a threat to her reign." Saya quickly got up. "We have to go back, Haji."

Haji flexed his wings, held Saya, and took off.

After a moment's silence in the air, Haji said, "There's also the possibility that your aunt is dead. Nicholas could be like Amshel in terms of claiming power over your bloodline. For one thing, it wouldn't make sense to have you continue the line while your aunt was alive. Rather, if she were alive at that time, she would have sought a Chevalier with your blood so that she can continue her bloodline."

Saya simply nodded, said, "That too. But, that doesn't worry me as much, Haji." She looked into his eyes. "I want to know how my mother ended up the way she did in the picture, the one Joel showed me."

"I doubt the journal says anything about it."

"Maybe so. But I'm sure if Nicholas is alive, he may know some answers to all our doubts."

Not knowing what the future might hold, they ventured into the night, into the darkness, where centuries ago a past that was long forgotten had shaken the lives of many people, even to those who unintentionally got caught in the crossfire. Just when Haji and Saya thought that the struggle ended with Diva, a past that they never knew of entailed that another war awaited them. Saya's awakening, for instance, could purport to demonstrate the emergence of something more sinister than anything they have yet encountered before.

As long as they were both alive, peace has kept eluding them.

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To be continued…

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